Improvement in trunks



titnti nes @IOIIN GQLANE; or sr'. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ALetters Patent No. 110,575, dated December' 27, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUNKS.

The Schedule referred toV in. these` Letters Patent and making part of the Bague.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. LANE, of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain Improvements in Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

Nature and Objects of the Invention.

front piece with a number of hooks or clasps, which extend over and grasp a projection on the door of the trunk when the tron-t is `closed, so that, should the hinges of this piece be broken off', these clasps or hooks will hold it firmly in place.

' The third part consists in the general arrangement and combination of the different parts of my trunk, as will hereafter be more fully set forth.

Description of thc Accompanying Drawing. Figure 1 is a perspective of my trunk.

Figure 2 is a section view of my clamping device,`

by-which the lid and front are held` at any desired angle when opened.

A represents a trunk, the front part B of which is hinged to the body so a's to be opened and closed in the .usual manner. The interior of the trunk may be divided 'intoany desired number of compartments, drawers, and shelves, which can be arranged in any desired manner.

For instance, there may be au open compartment, O, upon the top, which is covered by the lid D, and immediately below this there may be arranged a number of drawers E, one of which may be a secret one,

while under the drawers there is an open space, Gf,4

extending the whole length of the body, which may be tted with a drawer or a set of shelves. I do not ment.

l fr@ boa them D and hinged front B there is attached at each end a curved slotted guide, I, by which the opening and closing of these parts are regulated.

Just outside of the frame A, near the edges, there is arranged a set-screw, L, for each one ofthe guides, the ends of which screws bear and press against a piece of' rubber or any 'suitable'substance O, so as to produce friction against the guides as they are moving back andforth.

` Frequently, when the trunk isopened, it is desirable to keep the lid'I) or front B ata certain position or angle, land so as to prevent their suddenly falling, which is accomplished by my device.

By means of the screw L, the pressure of the rubber 0 can be regulated to any desired degree against the guides, so as to produce sufficient' friction to allow them to be readily moved by manual force, and 'yet suicient to retain them at any desired angle at which they mayjbe placed.

Near the lower edge of the hinged frontB aud lid D there is arranged one, two, or more hooks or clasps N, which, when the front and lid are closed, extend over and grasp any. suitable projection a, placed in the bottom of the trunk Or the top part of the trunk itself.

If, by any accident or otherwise, the hinges of these parts should be broken or injured, these hooks or clasps hohl it firmly and securely in place.

Having thus described my invention,

'What I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

The frame A, front B, and lid D provided with the hooks or clasps-N, the curved slotted guides I, thumbscrew L and rubber O and projection a, when all are combined to operate substantially as shown and spec- Tnos. S. MERCER, O. H. FOWLER. 

